To #1: You are taking Avery’s way of trying to make this a better industry and trying to make him out as something he isn’t. Sometimes the truth hurts.

To #14: Awesome post! I believe you are right on mark.

With all the sympathy and concern in my heart let me offer this viewpoint. To forsake your children’s education, put your families security at risk by mortgaging your home, bury your family in overwhelming debt, and become a slave to the almighty bus payment does not honor the Lord or the teachings of the scripture. “the borrower is slave to the lender”

I believe that if God intends for you to be in fulltime music ministry he will make a way for it to become a reality without all the schemes of man. Where He guides, He provides.

what do you say?

I looked at Dictionary.com and they had no definitions for this word. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bucolicry

It moves us into a greater appreciation for the context in which specific cultural entities occur, and it moves us beyond saying “i like this; i don’t like that; this sucks; that’s awesome.” It shows us WHY we like something, WHY something doesn’t work; it removes us from empty statements and allows us to express thoughts and feelings that would otherwise be ineffable.

Good criticism is its own art.

It is easy to listen to a CD, or go to a concert or two (or none) then sit back, nit-pick, and verbalize ad nauseum about what I think a group could and should do better (in my opinion, be it ever so humble.) But until I have walked a mile in their shoes, or rode a mile in their big shiny bus or their tacky little van and trailer, until I have lived one day in their home, or better yet, until I have been given a glimpse into their heart and mind to know the true person, maybe I should think twice about sharing that self-proclaimed expert opinion.

And yes, I’m preaching to myself as well. Man, the words I wish I could take back that were based on someone else’s opinion about another person, only to find out they and I were wrong. Facts, people. It’s the facts that matter. Not any man’s opinion. Get the facts and form your own opinion.

Yes, I have opinions, but I don’t recall anyone asking for one lately. And even if they did, its still worth exactly what it cost them. Absolutely nothing. Zippo. Squat. Nada.

“I’ve got a fever….and the only prescription….is more cowbell.”

It’s not quite what I expect to read about on a SG critique site…but whatever, it’s hilarious!

I suppose, in order to maintain continuity with the logic of his argument, Eric would also suggest that Ebert and Roeper have absolutely no business reviewing and rating movies and informing the public which movies, IN THEIR OPINION, deserve thumbs up and which ones deserve thumbs down. Rather, Ebert and Roeper (according to the argument presented by Eric) should mortgage their homes, borrow a few million dollars, and simply “show” us the proper way to make a good movie.

I also imagine that if any of Eric’s friends ask him, “Have you seen the movie ______ and what did you think of it?” that Eric’s response will certainly be (unless he’s a hypocrite), “I’m not really in a position to answer your question because either (1) I do not have the critical abilities to answer that sort of question, so I will keep my mouth shut, or (2) I have the critical abilities to answer that question, but at the moment I’m in the process of selling my house and buying a movie production studio in order to SHOW you the proper way to make a good movie.”

Perhaps the reason sg is so amateurish is because so much of the audience lacks sufficient critical thinking skills not only to demand better, but also even to recognize or be willing to admit when something can be improved (and to do so without selling their homes and SHOWING us all how to do it themselves).

I don’t have anything profound to say, I just really liked that sketch.

I’ve Got an idea. If you want it done right and you are the only one that can do it right and you have all the right ideas quit being a back seat driver and sacrifice everything like many of my friends in this business have done and get your several friends on this board and start your quartet.

Quit being bitter at what everyone else is doing and you go it better. Get in the game and join the team. Then we can have you as our model to do things right for this industry. You my friend are obviously the genius and the rest of us are just plain dumb! That will give us all a chance to write about you and the great deal you have sacrificed to make this industry better.

Sell your home, mortgage your house, get your bus, forfeit your kids education, make Mama worry about if the paycheck will be there next week, sacrifice till you can’t sacrifice anymore, then only then can you tell us how to do it.

This comes from both Eric Melton and Garry Sheppard